Fri Feb 04, 2011 at 12:00

I am going to keep this pretty short because I don't want to get too maudlin.

When we started OpenLeft, it was an experiment: By combining the ideas, skills, creativity, and experience of three incredibly different partners, and bringing in all of those things from a wide cross-section of other interested folks, could we spark some new models of how to do organizing and new media? The answer was yes. I will always be proud of how OpenLeft became a home for experimentation, innovation, and cross-fertilization that was always interesting and sometimes genuinely groundbreaking.

For me, it has such a great learning experience. I was the crotchety old D.C. insider on the site, which led to some fun and spirited arguments with other parts of the OpenLeft community. But it was also great for someone like me to learn, up close and personal, the chemistry, rhythms, and pulse of the blogosphere, and to get a feel for what this part of the progressive community was feeling and thinking.

I have some thank yous to make. I'll start with Matt Stoller, who was the one who invited me to join him and Chris as they were leaving MyDD to set up a new blog. Stoller and I think very differently, and clashed quite a bit, but I always will value his passion for justice, and his flashes of incredible creativity and insight that so often went right to the heart of how to approach a political organizing challenge. I want to thank Chris, who has been the steady, solid, calm soul of OpenLeft since the very first day, and whose incredible analytical mind has been a joy to learn from every day. I want to thank Paul Rosenberg, whose writing has been deep and thoughtful, and who took over the day-to-day site editor duties from Chris when he left to go over to Daily Kos. All of the people who wrote regularly for us have been so great to read and so much fun to work with. I especially want to thank my own staff, without whom OpenLeft wouldn't have functioned well at all. Adam Bink was a driving force from the very beginning on strategy, on advertising, and then on writing - I have been especially proud to see him grow and develop and turn into such a rising star for this progressive movement. And the great unsung hero of OpenLeft - someone our readers never knew about because she never blogged - was Carla Engle, who managed all the behind-the-scenes accounting, legal and business operations of the site, and was always a key player on the overall strategy of the site.

I am sorry we felt like we had to make the decision to shut down. I always have felt that Chris was the day-to-day driver of OpenLeft - the heart and soul of making it such an interesting place - and when he got the wonderful opportunity that he did at Daily Kos, we just felt that it was better to phase things out rather than keep going. But I am very philosophical about these kinds of things: I have been a part of starting a great many organizations over the years, and I have always felt that there is a cycle to institutions, and that it is sometimes better to shut them down than to keep them alive too long.

Having gotten my start in the world of the blogosphere, I will stay involved in a variety of ways. I am doing some consulting with Daily Kos and with the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC (which, while not a blog has the same spirit and values of the blogosphere); I am on the board of Netroots Nation; I will continue to post at Huffington Post sometimes, but will also be starting to write for Crooks and Liars in the coming days, which I am very excited about.

I have one final thank you: to all of you who have been a part of this beloved community. I have thoroughly enjoyed arguing with you, learning from you, and taking political action together. I look forward to working with many of you in the future on new endeavors to help strengthen the progressive movement in this country.

doG knows, I've banged my head against the keyboard reading you. And, it took me a long time to figure out that part of what you were selling was - despite the enormous disappointments - there were still things the Democrats could do, if they wanted to. It was unfortunate that they never seemed to want to, and therefore, didn't. If it was frustrating for me, and doubtless doubly frustrating for you. Still, it's useful to be reminded that there are things for which the door is still open, regardless of whether our politicians have the will or the energy to walk through them.

Thanks also for prompting me to participate in The Progressive Slate. They collared $575,000 for 10 progressive organizations in the last round. And, that's something.

With due respect to everyone else, I've always considered you the most level-headed voice here. You were the main reason I would visit this site, and I hope to have the opportunity to read you elsewhere going forward.

Somehow I don't think it had to be this way but the prople who made Open Left flourish, for a time, have a thing or two up thier sleeve. I think those of us who care about the potential and missed potential of the netroots should think hard about the demise of a pillar of our movement.

Going to miss reading your work and all those at this site. Best of luck!

If teaching is so easy, then by all means get your degree, pass your certification test(s), get your license, and see if you can last longer than the five years in the classroom 50% of those who enter the profession never make it to.

You had much to endure from us commenters in your unthankful job as the inofficial liason between Progressives and the damn party. You always played that part with an incredible lot of patience, nerves, and enthusiasm. And kept us aware of the hurdles standing in the way of Progressive ideals. Those were important infos you delivered, and even though we often didn't want to hear them, they had an impact. Thank you for this!

...never realized how posh that name sounded until just now. To some extent it was your analysis of strategy during campaign season 2008 that got me here; I circulated those posts to many of my friends. I always relish hearing from someone who knows more than a little about how the levers actually work. Thanx. I'll be on the lookout for whatever writing comes next.

"This ain't for the underground. This here is for the sun." -Saul Williams

it is not acceptable that this 'club' dissolves - and IF it is only about 'money' - the problem is easy to resolve. I am willing to spent 30$ a month for 'the progressive company' of the people I met here.
So we only need another 150? people who are willing to spent the same amount. There are over a hundred posters here who want to stick together - and I realize some might not have the money - so let's find a way -(as anonymous once wrote) - to get the dough.

Let's organize it like a real company. The 30$ are 'shares' - an investment in a site which soon will show all the other lefty sites what's what. To start - we need a headliner - I vote for Paul. He draws a salery. We then need as strong as a particpation as the reaction to the closing of Open Left. That shouldn't be a problem because with having a 'share' - everybody will be much more involved (in creating a interesting site - finding more shareholders etc etc)

Blogging as usual will not be enough - So we also have to get more into problem solving and act more like a 'think tank' -(even if we hate the word) - Huff is pretty clever and -(for example)- by helping 'people' - to think through the dilemma with their 'underwater houses' they helped themselves for example creating lots of 'traffic'.
That doesn't mean we should be into 'traffic' - I always loved the idea of a small 'elitist thinking blog' - where (after a while) - people (hopefully) will beg to become a member -(and if they can afford it - pay much more than a 30$) -

So it's very easy - and entirely up to y'all!
We just need about 150 'club members -(cancel the membership of your dogclub instead) - and then we will be able (again) to discuss all kind of things and I can bitch about it -(I need that!)
For example - I am very curious lately - if you can get rid of a dictator without doing so much damage to (ourselves) - 'the people' - and so I take the 'freedom' to post this suggestion on all these ByeBye posts -
Make it fly???

Since this is all about saying "Thank You" i want to say thank you for sharing this informative content .. bcoz it helps me a lot to motivate my skills in using OPenLeft .. and apply those things that you've mention just to develope what i need too .. I am looking forward to see more contents like this .. and I am excited to see those contents. Once again,. Thank you ..

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Since this is all about saying "Thank You" i want to say thank you for sharing this informative content .. bcoz it helps me a lot to motivate my skills in using OPenLeft .. and apply those things that you've mention just to develope what i need too .. I am looking forward to see more contents like this .. and I am excited to see those contents. Once again,. Thank you ..

If you have time you can also visit this site for you to have a healthy idea that you can apply to your health and can share to your friends,. Here it goes:
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Thanks mike for such a nice article.
And, it took me a long time to figure out that part of what you were selling was - despite the enormous disappointments - there were still things the Democrats could do, if they wanted to. It was unfortunate that they never seemed to want to, and therefore, didn't. If it was frustrating for me, and doubtless doubly frustrating for you. Still, it's useful to be reminded that there are things for which the door is still open, regardless of whether our politicians have the will or the energy to walk through them.